Steering mechanism



March 17, 1925. v

A. A. MoNsoN STEERING MECHANISM Filed oct. 11, 1925 Patented Mar. 17, 19257,.

UNITED STATES AXEL A. Monson, or cHroAG'o, rnmivors.

STEERING MVECHANI'SM.'

Appiie'ation inea october i1, i923. serial No. 668,008. t

To all whom t may conce/1%:

Be it known that I, AXEL A. MoNsoN, citizen of the United States, residing! at Chcago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented av certain new 'and useful Improvement in Steering Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, conoise, and exact description.

My invention relates to mechanism for preventing the steering mechanism of automobiles or other vehicles from functioning to guard against theft.

In practicing my invention the steering wheel is locked against rotationv by means of mechanism that preferably cooperates directly with the steering wheel shaft. A cap is disposed upon the upper 'end of the hollow steering column, the skirt of the cap surrounding said column. The mechanism for holding the steeringwheel and shaft against rotation is disposed in the cap. A

Akey controlled lock serves to place the holding mechanism in` non-functioning position, the arrangement being such that the holding mechanism may be instantaneously adjusted to function, without aid of the key loc-k and merely by hand pressure upon one of the members of the holding mechanism.

The invention will be more fully explained by reference. to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is an axial sectional View in the region of the steering wheel, illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention; F ig. 2 is a view taken at right angles to the direction in which Fig. 1 is taken and showing the cap and steering shaft in elevation and the wheel in section; F ig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a general view in elevation.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the different figures.

The steering mechanism includes a steer-k ing shaft 1, a hollow column 2 surrounding the shaft, and a hand steering wheel in driving relation to the shaft. In the structure illustrated the steering wheel has a stub shaft 4 that is in gear connection with the main shaft 1. The hand wheel turns the shaft 1 by means of the pinion 5 upon stub shaft 4, the planetary pinions 6 and the stationary internal gear 7 upon and within the upper and enlarged end of the column 2. rIhe planetary pinions are mounted on the upper end of shaft 1 in which the lower end of stub shaft 4 is also ournaled.

. Tilo soot shea Li is pomodori with honing formations ythat are employedVv when the shaft 1 is'lto be held against rotation. These holding formations preferably reside in the teeth ofthe pinion between which the in-.

ner end of plunger 8 is receivable to lock the wheel. This plungerV is horizontally and radially disposed in a cap 9 that is screwed upon column 2 and is held in rigid assembly with'said column bya coupling pin 10, which 4ismael.

is carried by the cap and is in threaded 'en-v gagement withthe cap and column, between and along which elements the pin is disposed.

The plunger 8 is pressed uponvoutwaf'rdly by a spring 11 which bears at one endl against the cap and at its other end against a holding formation upon the plunger 8, this holding formation beingpreferably in the form of a shoulder 12.

A plunger 13 is'also carried by the cap, this plunger being beneath and vangular to the plunger 8 .and positioned to engage the outer flat face ofthe shoulder 12 when the plunger 8 has been pushed inwardly into one of the -recesses 7 whereby the steering wheel a-ndshaft are locked against rotation. A spring 14 serves to place thef'plungeri13 in hold-ing engagement with the holding for` mation 12 of plunger 8. f

A key controlled look 15 has an eccentric pin 16 received in a slot .17 in the plunger p f 13. lNhen the steering mechanism is to be unlocked, the lock barrel is turnedto vbodilyv turn the pin 16 to depress the plunger 13 against the action of spring 14.

plungerA 13 has cleared the holding formation 12, the spring 11 will move the plunger 8 outwardly and out of engagement with che selected teeth of pinion The holding formation 12 will come to rest in engagement with the top of plunger 13, whereby the lock need no longer be relied upon to hold the plunger 13 down. The relation of the parts is now such that the plunger 8, whose outer end is accessible for the purpose, may be pushed by hand into a selected inter-tooth space to lock the steering wheel and shaft,

the key operated lock not requiring operation for this purpose. A y

The element 8-12 of the holding mechanisin covers the pin 10 to guard against tampering.

I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown, as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of my inventioinbut having thus lowing claims:

shaft; a cap upon said column; mechanism in the cap for rigidly assembling it with the shaft to prevent the shaft from turning, said mechanism comprising an outwardly spring pressed plunger engageable at its inner end with a holding formation with which the shaftis provided to prevent the shaft from y turning and accessible at its outer end to- .l vbe depressible toward the shaft, a second plunger langular Ito the first plunger and spring pressed toward the rst plunger and' engageable with a holding formation, that is y provided upon the first plunger, when the first plunger is in holding relation to the shaft; and a key controlled lock in adjustving relation tof the second plunger to withdraw it out-of holding engagement. with the first plunger to break the holding relation .of the :latter with the shaft, the holding formation upon the firstplunger being positioned, when-this plunger is inits outer position, to'hold the second plunger in its withdrawn position and ready for'holding- 'engagement with the holding formation upon the firstfplunger whenl the latter is pushed into holding relation with the shaft. 2. A steering -mechanism including a steering shaft; a hollow column containing said shaft; a cap upon saidcolumn; Ymechanism in the cap for rigidly assembling it withxthe shaft to prevent. the shaft from turning, said mechanism comprising a plunger engageable lat its inner end with a therewith to maintain it in holding relation with the shaft anda key controlled lock in* adjusting relation to the second plunger to withdraw it out of holding engagement with the first plunger to break the holding relation of the llatter with` `the* shaft, the first plunger being positioned, when this plunger is in its outer position, to hold' the second y plunger in its withdrawn position. Y

3. A steering mechanism including a steering shaft; a hollow columnrcontaining said shaft; a cap upon said column; mechanism in the cap for rigidly assembling it with the shaft to prevent thevshaft from turning; said mechanisml comprising a plunger engageable alt its inner end with a holding formation with which the shaft is provided .to prevent the shaft from turning and. accessible at its outer end to be depres-` sible toward the shaft, a second plunger an-. gular to the first plunger and serving'to hold the first plunger in holding relation to the shaft and a key controlled lock in adjusting relation to the second plunger to withdraw it outof holding relation with the first plungery to break the holding relation of the latter with the shaft. y

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this eleventh day of September kJA. D., 1923. AXEL A. -MONSON 

